HUNTLY marked its first win of the 2022 season in Saturday’s 11th round of the Bendigo Bank Heathcote District Football Netball League’s senior footy action.
The Hawks won three of four quarters on Leitchville-Gunbower’s turf at Leitchville to claim an 84-61 victory.
Huntly led 27-7 at quarter-time, but the Bombers struck back to win the second term, 19-17.
Led by the play of Jaydon Cowling, Jake Maher and Brandon Dimech it was Huntly which opened up a 22-point buffer going into the final term.
Dimech finished with a match-high four goals as Cowling and Luke Gray added two majors for the Stacy Fiske-coached Hawks.
The Hawks did well to limit Blake Azzopardi to just two goals after he had kicked seven in the first-round win by the Bombers at Huntly’s Strauch Reserve.
Best for Huntly included Tori Ferguson, Fiske and Harrison Campbell.
The Bombers’ best were Nathan McLellan, Rhys Bradley, Azzopardi, Tom Brereton, Fletcher Ball and Billy Hawken.
Mount Pleasant kicked away in the final quarter at White Hills to score a 95-72 victory.
The Blues made a brilliant start to lead 37-19 at quarter-time, but the Demons fired up to win the second term, 23-8.
Scores were locked on 63-all at a quarter to go.
Ruckman Chris Down, classy forward-midfielder Ben Weightman, and talented youngster Fletcher White all played key roles as Mount Pleasant added 4.2 to 1.3 in the final term.
The in-form Mitch Bennett kicked five goals for the Blues and Weightman added three.
The Demons’ attack was led by Liam Bartels and veteran Matt Sawyer on three.
Best for the Darren Walsh and Adam Baird-coached Blues included ruck-rover Billy Mahony, William Wallace and Mitchell Bennett.
Rhys Irwin, Jake Dickens, Mitch Dole, coach Jack Fallon, Ben Bacon and Cohen Kekich played well for White Hills.
Lockington Bamawm United dominated play at Heathcote’s Barrack Reserve to score a 21-goal win against the Saints.
Cats’ captain Jarod Bacon kicked seven goals as Thomas Leech and Anthony McMahon added three each in the 25-16 (166) to 6.4 (40) victory.
Goalkickers for Heathcote were not listed.
Best for the Brodie Collins-coached LBU were Trent Bacon, Riley McIvor, Marcus Angove, Baxter Anderson, Lachlan Atherton and Bowden Stone.
Jackson Jones, Codie Price, Jonty Kelly, Mitchell McLean, Will Long and Henry McCarthy were best for the Andrew Saladino-coached Saints.
Six goals by Hakeem Johnson in just his second game for the club was a highlight of North Bendigo’s win at Elmore.
Wearing number five made famous by legendary full-forward Doug ‘Dollar’ Roulston in the Bulldogs’ premiership years of 1974, ’76 and ’77, Johnson was in hot form against the Bloods.
North Bendigo led 44-19 at half-time and then scored 13.6 in the second half as it held Elmore to just two points in a 128-21 result.
Bulldogs’ skipper Aarryn Craig kicked five goals as Matt Gray and Lachlan Tardrew added three.
Jack Pysing became the fourth under-18s player to mark his senior debut for North Bendigo this season.
The others being Zandyr Barilari, Riley Paetow and Cody Riddick.
The Bulldogs’ best against the Bloods included Craig, wingman Nic Waterson, Jordan Ford, Sean Moyle and rover Nathan Newlan.
Best for the Dylan Friedberger and Dylan Gordon-coached Elmore were Zac Laffy, Jack Trewick, Tannar Cerrone, Regan Williams, Tyler Amor-Beale, and Zack Holmberg.
Colbinabbin had the bye.
Heathcote DFNL senior footy ladder:
Lockington Bamawm United 216 per cent, 36 points; Colbinabbin 187, 34; Mount Pleasant 165, 32; North Bendigo 141, 26; Heathcote 88, 20; White Hills 78, 16; Elmore 60, 8; Huntly 63, 4; Leitchville-Gunbower 41, 4.
In this Saturday’s round 12 action, North Bendigo tackles White Hills at Hibo Hotel Oval in Atkins Street.
Lockington Bamawm United plays Leitchville-Gunbower at Lockington.
Mount Pleasant and Heathcote clash at Toolleen.
Huntly has the bye.
It’s also a rest for Colbinabbin and Elmore who met in the season opener on April 2.
That contest on Colbinabbin’s turf at M.J. Morgan Oval Reserve ended in a 150-61 victory for the Grasshoppers.
Leading goalkickers:
47 Ben Weightman, MP.
35 James Brain, Colbo.
27 Darcy Laffy, Elm.
26 Jed Brain, Colbo.; Dylan Klemm, NB.
24 Ben Fulford, LBU.
23 Matt Gray, NB.
22 Anthony McMahon, LBU.
20 Liam Bartels, WH.
18 Mitchell Bennett, MP.
17 Jack Brooks, H’cote; Kai Cavallaro, H’cote; Thomas Leech, LBU; Braden Padmore, H’cote; Rhys Woodland, LBU.
15 Laine Fitzgerald, Colbo.
14 Blake Azzopardi, LG; Adam Baird, MP; Jackson Conforti, H’cote; Billy Hawken, LG; Luke Moore, Colbo.; Clint Shields, Colbo.; Stephen Tuohey, Colbo.
13 Jarod Bacon, LBU; Bayden Fallon, WH; Luke Gray, Huntly; Cohen Kekich, WH; Dean Tydell, MP.
Heathcote goals v LBU in round 11 to be added.
Written by Nathan Dole.